‘It gets me mad’: Barack Obama acts alone on gun control

Tears streaking his cheeks, President Barack Obama launched a final-year push yesterday to tighten sales of firearms in the US, using his presidential powers in the absence of tougher gun restrictions that Congress has refused to pass.

The president struck a combative tone as he came out with plans for expanded background checks and other modest measures that have drawn consternation from gun rights groups, which Obama accused of making Congress their hostage.

Palpable, too, was Obama’s extreme frustration at having made such little progress on gun control since the slaughter of 20 first-graders in Connecticut confronted the nation more than three years ago.